Equalizing mechanism for belt presses or the like



Allg. 22, C. F SCHNUCK EQUALIKZING MECHANISM FOR BELT PRESSES OR THE LIKE I Filed June 17. 1 950 T0 EXHAUST T0 LIFT Patented Aug. 22, 1933 EQUALIZING MECHANISM FOR BELT PRESSES 0B. THE LIKE Carl F. Schnuck, New Haven, C onn., assigner to Fand- Birmingham Company, Incorporated.

Ansonia, Conn.

Application' June 17, 1930. serial N0..461,ss4

22 Claims.

This invention relates to equalizing devices,

and while I have elected to illustrate and describe vthe invention with particular Vreference to an equalizing device for belt presses or the like, it will be understood that the invention may beapplied to other machines wherelike or similar -functions are desired.

In certain instances, machines such .as belt presses comprise separate parts adapted for Vsimultaneous movement, and it is desirable that the movements of these parts take place in a given relation, that is, that the movement of lone part be substantially equal to or in a given ratio to the movement of the other. In the case of a belt press, such as herein illustrated, one of these parts is the pressing yplaten which usually is moved upwardly toward a cooperating platen `to press the belt therebetween. At one end of the pressing mechanism there is arranged in ordinary practice a clamping device within which the belt is clamped` so that it maybe held in a stretched or taut condition during the pressing operation and upon the opposite side of the pressing mechanism is -usual1y arranged a clamping and stretching device to clamp the end of the beltk and stretch itvto taut condition. In order that the pressing operation may be performed properly and efficiently, it is necessary, or at least desirable, that the clamping mechanism arranged at one side of the pressing device and the clamping and stretching mechanism arranged at the other side be maintained at substantially the horizontal level of the movable pressing platen.v I f Due to the fact that there is often more rre-l sistance to the movement of one of these parts than the other, or to other conditions obtaining in the operation of -the machine, one of the parts will tend to move in advance of the other, and it is difcu1t,`with'out thel use of equalizing mechanism, to effect such movement of the various parts of the machine'as will maintain them in proper relative positions. y f One object Vof this invention, therefore, is the provision of an equalizing mechanism to insure proper. relative movement of the movable parts of a machine such as a belt press or the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an equalizing mechanism designed to coordinate the movements of the movable parts o1' a belt press or like' machine so that lthese parts 'will move simultaneously through substantially the same distances. Another object o1 the invention is the provision in a belt press or like machine of an equalplaten 14.

'jaws' 19. and 20.

'stood that, in practice, means will be provided izing mechanism controlled by the movementofone of the movable parts of the machine and de.- signedto controlthe amount of movement of another partof the machine.vr v

More speciilcally the object. of the invention,

isto coordinate the movement ofthe clamping and stretching means of a belt press or the like withthe movement of the pressing platen, this vcoordination being eected by mechanism designed to control the application Vof power to the clamping and stretching mechanism and being in turn controlled by the movement of the pressing. platen.

To -these and other ends, the invention consistsin the novel features andI combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

4In the accompanying drawing: i

' Fig. 1 is a sideV elevational view partly in diagram of Va belt press. or the like to which my improvedv equalizing mechanismis applied, and Fig. 2.is a sectional viewof the uid pressure valve employed therewith. f

The belt press, which I have selected to illustrate and describe in order to exemplifyV one embodiment oi'gmy invention,` comprises a base` 10, upon which are supported a number'of cylinders 11, having Pistons 12 cooperating therewith, the pistons atv their upper ends supporting the movable platen 13. 'It will, of course, be unlderstood that the numberA of pistons-and cylinders will be varied to suit the conditions obtaining in the particular machine. Above. the platen 13 is a xed platen 14, which may be suitably l mounted so as toremain in a given position, it being understood that the belt or article to be pressedwill beinserted between these two platens and will be subjected to pressure when the lower platen l13 is'raised toward theyupper xed vAt one end of ithev pressing mechanism is a clamping 'device comprising a base V15, upon which Vare mounte/dsuitable cylinders 16, having-pistonsV 17 cooperating therewith and carrying at their upper ends a beam or support A18,

fora clampingjfdevice shown more or less diagrammatically v.and comprising the clamping .l

It will, of 'course,'be undering a base 12,1, `cylindersr22,having pistons-23 cooperating "therewith, the pistons carrying at their upper ends; stretcher beams or supports 24. A

Means are Aprovided for clamping the'endl of the belt to the stretching mechanism, this means being slmwn. only diagrammatically and comprisirn the movable vclamping jaws 25 Hand 26. These jaws will, like thejaws 19 and 20, beprorvided, in'practice, with means to effect closing and opening movements thereof, and will also be provided with means by which they may be moved away from the pressing mechanism in order to stretch the belt totaut condition," this means comprising the cylinder 27 and piston 28.

` It will be understood that the clampingjaws 19 and 20 at one side of the press and the jaws and 26 upon the other side, will, when. closed, be at substantially the level of the movable platen 13 and that, when the supports v*'18 and 24 are moved upwardly by the pistons attached thereto, the clamps will, of course, rise there-V with. As has already been stated, it is essential that this upward movement of` the clamping devices take place at substantially the same "time and ,that these movements befof the same magnitude as the upward movement of the plat- To effect this end, `I have provided means to controlthe application of the raising power to Ythe supports for the clamping devices `by the movement `of the movable platen. In the embodiment of my invention shown'in the `draw-v in g,V the pistons 17 and 23V are 'raised' and lowered by the introduction and'ex'haust of pres- "Sure udfintoand from the cylinders 16 and 22. Leading to Athecylinders 16 is a pipe or fluid conduit 30 connected bygjointed sections '3l-and 32 to a pipe 38l'eadng to the outlet portof a valve structure 34," and likewise the cylinders 22 Yare supplied from a pipetor yiiuid conduit 85 connected by jointedv sections 36 'and valve structure 34e.' l Y The valvestructures 34 `and 34a are mounted 37 to a pipe 38 leadingto-the outlet` port of a upon a part of thema'chinethat moves with operating respectively with valvesea'ts 45v` and 47, arranged in passages 48 and 49.;` The valves "are held against their seats by suitableY springs 51') and 51. VAn. inlet port zlis'providedfor the y 'admissionfot'pressure fiuidfinto xthe, passage 48 below Vthe valve 44, andk above this valve an outiet port 53 is provided which aise smmunicates with'the passage 48, and it will be 'understood that thepipe 33 *(or'pipe38) leads 4,into theout'- let port 53 while the pipe 39Kcom1nunicates with the inlet port 52. n Y k Within the Valve housing is a passage 54 leadingfrom the passage .48 above the valve 44 to the .passage 49 below the exhaust valve 45, and,

above this exhaust valve, an exhaust port 55 communicates with the passage 49 and permitsV ,the exhaust of pressure fluid fromthe valve;

' arms 57.

. platen 13.

At the upper end of the valve housing is pivotally vmounted a rocker arm 56, controlled by a lever 57, it being understood that this rocker arm is adapted to engage and depress either the valve'stem 42 or 43 and thus unseat the valves 44 or 45, or the rockerarm may remain in neuby diierential movement Vbetween the pressing platen on the one hand and the supports forv the clamping devices on'the other, rods 58 and 59 are connected each to one end of one of the Walking beams and 61 are connected `at one end to the upper end of rods 58 and 59 respectively between buier springs 62 and 63. The beam60 is pivoted at an intermediate" point 64, to an upright 65, secured at 66 to the movable platen, and at its other end is pivoted at 67 to an upright 68 secured at 69 to the movable support lmechanism 25.

24 for the clamping Likewise the vwalking' beam 61 is pivoted at 70 to upright 71, secured at 72 to the press platen 13 m and is also pivoted at 73 to upright 74, secured at to the vksupport; 18 for the clamping mechanism 19 and 20. I'

'Althoughjit is not necessary in all aspects of the invention, it will -be noted that the uprights 65 and 68 and also the uprights 71 and 74 are placedrelatively close together` with respect to the distances of the uprights 65 and 71 from the rods 58 and 59 respectively, so that any difference in movement between the uprights 65 and 6 8 or the uprights 71 and 74 willbe multiplied at the ends ofthe walking-beams connected'to the rods 58 and 59, and will, therefore, promptly and effectively cause the arms 57 to be rocked in the proper direction bythe rods 58'and 59, so as to open and close the proper valves.

The operation of my device is as follows: Y

If the parts are in the position shown in Fig.

`,"1 and a belt is placed between the platens 13 and 14 and clamped in the clamping devices 19,

y2Oand 25,26, and the-belt is ready to'be pressed, fluid vpressure from any provided source (not p shown) will be introduced into the cylinders-11 to raise the pistons y12 and thereby raise lthe This will cause the uprights 65 and 71 to bejraised with respect to the uprights 68 and 74 and will immediately cause the adjacent jend's oi' the walking beamsto rise and thereby move upwardly the rods 58 and 59. The upward movement of these rods will rockvthe valve levers 57 to the left,V Vas shown in Fig. 2, depressing the valves f 44. This will admit fluid pressure through lthe ports '52' into the passages 48 and permit it to pass outwardly through the outlet ports 53 to the cylinders 16 (and 22, effecting the raising of the pistons 17 and 23 and likewise corresponding clamping mechanism. As long as the rods 58 and 59 are -maintained in-raised position, these conditions will obtain and the pistons l7'and 23 will continue to rise.` If, however,

`the uprights r68 and 74 move upwardly to a 'greater extent than the platen 13, Vor thanjthe uprights 65 and 71 connected thereto, the inner ends of the walking beams 60 and 6,1 will be depressed due to the rocking of theseV beams about their pivots 64 and 70,v and the arms57 will thereupon be` depressed to permit the valves 44 to close, and to open the valves 45thus. allowing the cylinders 16 land 22 to exhaust through the passages 49 and ports 55, and the upward movement of the pistons 17 and v23 will be checked. 'with a proper setting "of the valve structures 34 and 34* and associated mechanism, the valves 44 and 45 will both be closed when the movable 2 5 parte are in the desired relative position and maintain this position of the parts until a kdliex'ential movement thereof again effects the openingsof the valves.

-f As illustrated the clamp supports 18 and 24k lvvdre moved by means of fluid operated devices comprising the cylinders 16 and 22 and the pistons 1'1-and 23; It will be obvious, however, that these supports may be moved by power means, for instance, such as electric motors, in which case the delivery of power. to these motors would be controlled by rheostats which would besubstituted for .valves 34 and 34a and which would be controlled by vthe rods 58 and 59.

While I have shown and described a pre' 20 ferred embodiment of Amy invention,'it will be understood that it is not-to be limited to all of the ldetails shown, but is capable of l modification and variation Within the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.`

What I claim is: 1. In combination, a machine having two vertically movable` parts, uid pressure operated means to raise said parts, controlling means for varying the delivery of fluid pressure to the raising means for one of said parts,` and said 'of whichis operated by fluid pressure, and meansA actuated by the movement of one of said members to vary the delivery of fluid pressure to the meansfor raising another thereof.

3. A machine having a pair of vertically movablemembers, separate fluid pressure operated means to raise each of said members, andv means iorzcontrollingy the movement of one thereof bythe `movement of the otherv compris-V ing controlling means to vary the fluid pressure delivered to the raising means for the first member'an'dmbei'rig' in turn controlled by the move- Jm'ent' of the second member.

4. A machine comprising a pair of members adapted to be raised in predetermined relation, individual means for raising each of said memlone oi' said means being operated by fluid pressure, and means controlled by one of said members to vary the delivery of fiuidpressure to the raising means forv the other of` said members.

5. A machine having a pair of members adapted to be raised in a predetermined relation, indlvidual means for raising each of said members, and means controlled by the rst of said mem bers to control the delivery of power to the rais-v means to bring about a predetermined relationv in said movement comprising control means to vary the power delivered to the raising means control deliveryof pressure fluid tothe hyfor the clamping device, and means actuated by the movable platen for controlling said control means.

'LA belt press -or the like having a movable platen anda movable clamping device, said devices being mounted for simultaneous movement" inV Vthe same direction,` power means to move said clamping device, and means controlled at least in part by said movable platen for controlling the delivery of power to said power means.

8. A belt press or the like comprising a movable platen and a movable clamping device, and means for eiiecting movement of said Vdevices in a Vpredetermined relation comprising power means for moving one of'saidV devices, and means 90 controlled by a differential movement of said devices to control the delivery of power to said power means. y Y l -9'. A belt press or the like comprising a mov-A able platen and a movable clamping device, vand `means for eiecting movement of said devices in a predetermined relation comprising power means for moving one of said devices, and means controlled 'by a differential movement of said devices tok control the delivery of` power to said draulic' means for one of said devices, andsaid control means beingl controlledby the differential movement of said devices.

11. A belt press or the. like having a movable us platen and a movableV clamping device, -hydraulic means Yfor moving said devices, and means yfor preserving a predetermined relation between the movements thereof, comprising means to control delivery of pressure fluid to the hydraulic means for one of said devices, and said control means beingy mounted to move with one of said devices, and actuating means for said control means'mounted to move with the other of said devices. i l

.12. A press or the like having a movable-platen and Ya *movable clamping1 device, hydraulic means to move said devices, and means for preserving a predetermined relation between the movements thereof, comprising pressure fluid control means to control the delivery of pressure fluid to the moving means of one of said devices, said control means being mounted to move with the other of said devices, and actu'- ating means for said pressure control means,

saidactuating means being controlled by differential movement of said devices.

13. A belt press or the like having a movable platen and a clamping device designed to move substantially in unison with the platen, hy- '140 draulic means to move each of said devices, and means to control the delivery of pressure fluid to the hydraulic moving means of the clamping device, said control means comprising a valve device mounted to move with the platen, and i145 means connected with said movable clamping device to control the valve device.

14. A beltV press or the like having a movable platen and a clamping device designed to move substantially in unisonwith the platen, hydraulic means to move `each of said devices, and means to control the delivery of pressure fluid to the hydraulic moving means of the clamping device, sald control means comprising a valve devioe mounted to move with the platen, and

means connected both Vwith said clampingrdeand the release of pressure iiuid from said cylinder, actuating `means for said valve device, and'means connected to said clamping device to movesaid actuating means ina direction to admit pressure f uid to the cylinder when the clamping device lags behind the platen, andin a direction to release pressure fluid from theA cylinder when the clamping device moves in advance relation to the platen.

16. A belt presser-the like comprising a movable platen, and amovable clamping device at each end of'the platen, and means for effecting predetermined relative movements between the platen and both clamping rdevices comprising power meansto move said clamping devices,V

' and means to control the delivery of power individuallyl to said power means, -said control means being in turn controlled by differential movanent between the platen and the respective clamping device. Y

1'1. A belt press or the like having a movable platen and a movable clamping device, and means for effecting a predetermined relative -movement oi' said devices comprising power means to move said clamping device, control means for controlling the deliveryof power to said power means, said control means being mounted to move with the platen, and a lever pivotally connected to said clamping device and Y to said platen to actuate said control means.

18. A belt press or thelike having a movable platen and a movable clamping device, and means` for effecting a predetermined relative movement of said devices comprising power means to move said clamping device, control means for controlling the delivery of power to said power means, said controlmeans being mounted to move with the platen, and a lever 19. Avbeltpress or the like having a movable platen and a movable clamping device, and means for effecting a predetermined` relative movement .of said devices comprising power means to move said clamping device, control means for controlling the delivery of power to said power means,

said control'means being mounted to move with the platen, and ,a lever pivotally connected to said clamping device and to said platen to actuate said'control means, said power means comprising a piston and cylindenand said control means comprising avalve to control the delivery of pressure fluid to and the exhaust `of pressure fluid from said cylinder.

20. A belt press o'r the like comprising a movable'platen, and a movable clamping device at each end of the platen, and means for eiecting predetermined relative movements between the platen and both clamping devices comprising individual power means for moving each of said clamping devices, and control means individual to each of said power means toV control the delivery of -power thereto, each of said control means having parts connected to the platen and the respective clamping device to becontrolled by differential movement between the platen and the respective clamping device.

21. A machine having. a pair'of movable members and means for1eii'ecting rmovement of said [members ina predetermined-relation, comprissure operated means to maintain them in said predetermined relation. n y y.

22. A machine having a' pair of members adapted for movement in the sameVV drection,.

and means for effecting a predetermined relative movement of said membersV comprising iiuidr pressureroperated means forfmovin'gfone of said I members and means controlledv by a differential movement of the members to varythe delivery of iluid pressure to saidv moving means, saidy controllingv means being mounted to move with one of said members. CARLF. SCHUCK.

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